Winter Million: Lingfield Winter Oaks runner guide and verdict as Virgin Snow heads 14-strong field for Ed Dunlop

You don’t get many races with a Classic in the title where 75-rated horses have a chance of winning but that’s what we have with the Coral Winter Oaks, live on Sky Sports Racing on Saturday.

The fillies’ handicap over one-mile-and-two-furlongs is headed by Virgin Snow, whose current mark of 96 is probably not what connections would have envisaged when she started 5/4 favourite for a Group Three at Newcastle two years ago, finishing second.

Ed Dunlop’s mare has shown she can be very competitive off this sort of mark though, while at the other end of the scale Charlie and Mark Johnston will be hoping to continue their good start to the year with Enfranchise as well as higher-weighted Alba Rose.

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Winter Million live on Sky Sports Racing

Watch every race of the Winter Million from Lingfield live on Sky Sports Racing, January 21-23

1 – Virgin Snow

Trainer: Ed Dunlop; Jockey: Jim Crowley

Placed at Group level as a three-year-old and now 2lb lower than when second in a competitive handicap at York’s Ebor meeting that season, the form of which has worked out well. She is entitled to come on for a recent reappearance in this sphere after a 14-month absence when fifth behind Viola in the Winter Oaks Trial.

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Image: Virgin Snow has won one of her nine career starts

2 – Viola

James Fanshawe; Daniel Muscutt

A dual course winner, albeit over further, Viola has gone up another 4lb after her latest victory in a Southwell handicap in which a few of these finished behind. It’s hard not to be taken by her progressive profile, though she has yet to prove as effective over this shorter trip.

Also See:

• Saturday Winter Million racecards
• Muscutt out to call Winter Oaks tune on Viola

Muscutt out to call Winter Oaks tune on Viola

Daniel Muscutt is hoping to get a rousing tune out of James Fanshawe's Viola in the first-ever running of the £100,000 Coral Winter Oaks Fillies' Handicap

3 – Miss Marble

Simon & Ed Crisford; Jack Mitchell

Miss Marble confirmed her debut promise with novice wins at Chelmsford and Kempton before failing to justify market expectations in a Listed event at Deauville last month, fading after leading early from a wide draw. Her hopes are pinned on this step up in distance, though not an obvious improver for it on pedigree.

4 – Alba Rose

Mark & Charlie Johnston; Joe Fanning

She has been running consistently well without winning, including over course and distance two outings ago, and while she’s not the most straightforward it’s possible a bigger field and stronger pace will bring out the improvement required. She carried her head awkwardly and hung left when run down by Viola last time.

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An essential guide to racing’s newest festival, the Winter Million, which features £1m in prize money and action over jumps and Flat at Lingfield Park, all live on Sky Sports Racing, January 21-23.

5 – Serenading

James Fanshawe; PJ McDonald

Serenading has a similarly progressive profile to stablemate Viola, though she’s going the other way trip wise. She doesn’t look to be crying out for the extra two furlongs on pedigree and her record on Polytrack compared to Tapeta is poor, albeit her three previous tries were in her first season’s racing.

6 – Umm Hurair

Harry and Roger Charlton; Ryan Moore

She is unbeaten in handicaps and started odds-on last time when faced with a three-grade hike, which suggests the stable know what they’ve got. It’s doubtful, therefore, that she’s reached her limit despite a 10lb rise, though she’s unproven over this longer trip and there are mixed messages from her pedigree.

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7 – Pretty Sweet

George Boughey; Callum Shepherd

Pretty Sweet is the epitome of consistency and appeared to win with a fair bit in hand at Kempton last time. The resulting 5lb rise is the highest of her career so far and she’s up two grades as well as back down in trip, so has questions to answer despite her pleasing profile.

8 – Timeless Soul

Roger Varian; Jefferson Smith

A lightly-raced improver who made an encouraging All-Weather debut behind Viola on return from a four-month break at Southwell in December. She went off favourite that day so it’s likely there’s more to come with that run under her belt, though she’s unproven on Polytrack.

Image: Timeless Soul and David Egan win at Beverley in May last year

9 – Unique Cut

Alice Haynes; Rob Havlin

Unique Cut is a Salisbury novice winner whose best run ratings-wise was on her first start for the current yard on this track at start of December. She hasn’t built on that in two subsequent outings though and her tendency to take a strong hold is a concern now taking a marked step up in trip.

Image: Unique Cut's (yellow cap) only victory to date came at Salisbury

10 – Lower Street

David Simcock; Martin Dwyer

She took nine runs to get off the mark, since when she’s added another two handicap victories as well as finishing second in the Southwell race won by Viola. She incurs a 5lb penalty for last weekend’s smooth win there and drops back in trip but is a well-bred, strong-travelling type who may well cope.

11 – Arenas Del Tiempo

Simon Dow; Hollie Doyle

She showed improved form on turf last season, winning handicaps at Brighton, Sandown and Epsom then signing off back at Epsom with a close second off a career-high mark. She’s up another 4lb here and her All-Weather record is uninspiring apart from a debut fourth in a decent enough Kempton maiden.

Image: Arenas Del Tiempo wins at Brighton under Hollie Doyle

12 – Precisely

John Butler; Luke Morris

All three of Precisely’s wins to date have come at Class five level and though a creditable third upped to this grade at Wolverhampton last time, she only ran to market position behind impressive winner Umm Hurair and Serenading. Like the latter, her best All-Weather efforts have been on Tapeta.

13 – Newgirlintown

Gerard O’Leary; Rory Cleary

An Irish raider who has been running well under big weights in lesser handicaps at Dundalk. She may enjoy operating from the other end of the scale in terms of what she’s got to carry but probably lacks scope compared to most of her rivals as a six-year-old having her 27th career outing.

14 – Enfranchise

Mark and Charlie Johnston; Andrew Breslin

A consistent dual winner – from just six starts, Enfranchise’s record on this track reads second, first, third, with the victory coming under this apprentice rider. Her classy pedigree offers hope of further improvement now stepping up in trip, as a half-sister to a useful one-mile-and-two-furlong winner who later stayed well over jumps.

Image: Virgin Snow, ridden by Jim Crowley (right), wins the Betway Fillies' Handicap at Haydock Park

Gary Nutting’s verdict

The decision to keep Classic-bred five-year-old VIRGIN SNOW in training after a season off can pay early dividends. Her only two handicap outings prior to her recent comeback run, which was probably needed, resulted in a win and a second, the latter in a good York handicap that has worked out well.

She has Polytrack experience, having finished third at Kempton as a juvenile, and her prolific Oaks-winning dam won her only all-weather start here

Sourse: skysports.com